If you are selling a home, you'll get the highest price in the shortest time, if your home is in top condition. And you want to find out about any hidden problems before your house goes on the market. Almost all sales contracts include the condition that the contract is contingent upon completion of a satisfactory inspection. This is known as the "inspection contingency". Buyers will insist on a professional home inspection performed by an inspector they will hire. If the buyer's inspector finds a problem, it can cause the buyer to get cold feet and the deal can often fall through. At best, surprise problems uncovered by the buyer's inspector will cause delays in closing, and usually you will have to pay for repairs at the last minute, or take a lower price on your home.

It's better to pay for your own inspection before putting your home on the market. Having a pre-listing inspection done will make the whole sale process easier. Find out about any hidden problems and get them corrected in advance, on your own terms. Or present the items "as is" and reflected in the purchase price. Otherwise, you can count on the buyer?s inspector finding them, at the worst possible time, causing delays, and costing you more money.

One of the key benefits of having the inspection done early, is that if there are any problems discovered that need to be repaired, you can have the repairs done on your own terms, on your own schedule. When a problem isn?t found until the buyer has an inspection performed, the deal you've worked so hard to get done may fall apart unless you act quickly to get the repairs done. Or you may have to take a lower price, in order to keep the deal moving. In either case, you'll almost certainly have more headache, and spend more money, than if you?d known about the problem and had it repaired before negotiations began. You could save thousands by simply being able to shop around and get competitive bids from contractors, rather than being forced into paying for a rush job at the last minute. Another area where you can save money is in having flexibility to choose the materials used in repairs. Sales contracts usually specify repairs must be made using materials of ?comparable quality?. By identifying needed repairs early, you?ll have the option to save money by using less expensive materials for the repairs.

You can also benefit from simply offering certain items "as is". Often, you can negotiate with a buyer to accept items in the current condition by stipulating that they are reflected in the purchase price. But that same buyer may walk away from the deal if the conditions come as a surprise, after an offer has already been made. If the home is inspected before the house goes on the market you will be aware of the condition of the house before an offer is made. There won't be any surprises and the deal is far less likely to fall apart. It takes a lot of effort to get a sales agreement signed in the first place. If the inspection turns up problems, the buyer will want to negotiate a new deal and that second sales agreement is usually even harder to get done than the first one.

By having a pre-listing inspection done, you can identify problems early. Then either correct them or present them "as is", assuring that the first offer you accept can move quickly and smoothly to closing without delays or costly surprises.

Seller Inspections: Seller inspections (sometimes referred to as pre-listing inspections) are becoming more popular because they virtually eliminate all the pitfalls and hassles associated with waiting to do the inspections until a buyer is found. In many ways, waiting to schedule inspections until after a home goes under agreement, is too late. Seller inspections are arranged and paid for by the seller, usually just before the home goes on the market. The seller is the inspector's client. The inspector works for the seller and generates a report for the seller. The seller then typically makes multiple copies of the report and shares them with potential buyers that tour the home for sale. Seller inspections are a benefit to all parties in a real estate transaction. They are a win-win-win-win. Home inspectors should consider offering seller inspections and marketing this service to local listing agents. Advantages to the home inspector:

When the inspection is complete.You will receive a thorough written report accompanied by digital photographs. I will also discuss any routine maintenance tasks that are required to keep the home and it's systems in top condition, as well as answer any questions you may have.

Based on what is Present, Visible, and Accessible the Inspector will inspect the following items that may be included in your thorough inspection:

(AFCI) ARC FAULT CIRCUIT INTERRUPTOR TESTING

AIR CONDITIONING, HEATING EQUIPMENT, VENTS, AND DUCTWORK

ALARM SYSTEMS, SMOKE, FIRE, AND CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTION

ATTIC, STAIRS, INSULATION, VENTS, AND ASSOCIATED STRUCTURE SYSTEMS

BATHROOM FIXTURES, EXHAUST VENTS, AND HEATERS

CABINETS, COUNTER TOPS, AND CLOSETS

CRAWLSPACE, PIERS, BEAMS, GIRDERS, VENTS, AND SUBFLOOR STRUCTURES

DISHWASHER

DOOR BELL OR CHIME

EIFS: EXTERIOR INSULATED FINISH SYSTEMS

ELECTRICAL SERVICE ENTRANCE, PANELS, AND BRANCH CIRCUITS

EXTERIOR WALLS, DOORS, SEALANTS, AND WEATHER STRIPPING

FIREPLACE, HEARTH, DAMPER, FLUE, CAP, AND ARRESTORS

FOOD WASTE DISPOSAL

FOUNDATION

FLOOR COVERINGS

GARAGE DOOR(S) AND OPENER(S)

GAS LEAK DETECTION (TIF 8800) not matches or soap bubbles

GAS SUPPLY SYSTEM FROM METER TO APPLIANCES

(GFCI) GROUND FAULT CIRCUIT INTERRUPTOR TESTING

GRADING, DRAINAGE, GUTTER, AND DOWNSPOUTS

HYDROTHERAPY TUB & EQUIPMENT

INTERIOR WALLS, DOORS, CEILINGS, AND FLOORS

LANDSCAPING EFFECTS ON STRUCTURE

LAWN AND GARDEN SPRINKLER SYSTEMS

MICROWAVE

OVEN, COOKTOP, AND RANGE

OTHER INSTALLED KITCHEN APPLIANCES

OUTDOOR COOKING EQUIPMENT

PLUMBING SUPPLY, DRAINS, WASTE, AND VENTS

PORCHES, DECKS, BALCONIES, STAIRS, AND HANDRAILS

RANGE HOOD AND EXHAUST VENT

ROOF COVERING, FLASHINGS, AND ROOF STRUCTURE

SEPTIC SYSTEMS

STORAGE BUILDINGS WITH UTILITIES

SWIMMING POOL, HOTTUB, SECURITY, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT

TRASH COMPACTOR

WATER HEATER

WELLS

WINDOWS, SCREENS, LINTELS, FLASHING, AND DOOR GLAZING

WHOLE HOUSE VACUUM SYSTEMS

WOOD DESTROYING INSECTS AND MICROBIAL ORGANISMS

Additional items and systems unique to a particular property can also be inspected.

A. Any defect that is material enough to kill a real estate transaction is likely going to be uncovered eventually anyway. It is best to discover the problem ahead of time, before it can kill the deal.

Q. Isn't a home inspector's liability increased by having his/her reports be seen by potential buyers?

A. No. There is no liability in having your seller permit someone who doesn't buy the property see your report. And there is less liability in having a buyer rely on your old report when the buyer is not your client and has been warned not to rely on your report, than it is to work directly for the buyer and have him be entitled to rely on your report.

Q. Don't seller inspections take too much energy to sell to make them profitable for the inspector?

A. Perhaps. But not when the inspector takes into account the marketing benefit of having a samples of his/her product (the report) being passed out to agents and potential buyers who are looking to buy now in the inspector's own local market, not to mention the seller who is likely moving locally and in need of an inspector, plus the additional chance of re-inspection work being generated for the inspector.

Q. A newer home in good condition doesn't need an inspection anyway. Why should the seller have one done?

A. Unlike real estate agents whose job it is to market properties for their sellers, inspectors produce objective reports. If the property is truly in great shape the inspection report becomes a pseudo marketing piece with the added benefit of having been generated by an impartial party.

Q. Don't seller inspections and re-inspections reduce the number of buyer inspections needed in the marketplace?

A. No. Although every inspection job a Certified Professional Master Inspector catches upstream is one his/her competitors might not get, especially if the buyer waives his/her inspection and/or the seller hires the same inspector to inspect the home he/she is buying, the number of inspections performed by the industry as a whole is increased by seller inspections.

We strongly encourage you to accompany the inspector so that you may ask questions and gain a better understanding of the systems in the home.

If you have any questions, or are interested in any other services, please contact us so we may discuss your specific needs.